DEMOCRAT EX-CONGRESSWOMAN’S YACHT CAUGHT TRYING TO RESUPPLY HAMAS

There are people that are just plain stupid, and there are those that are ignorant. Sailing a pleasure craft into any area where there is ongoing belligerence, much less full blown war has to fall into one of those two categories. Doing so with the express intent to aid either side turns you into a legitimate target. If they were truly on a purely humanitarian mission why were they not under the colors of, the International Red Cross, for example?

Now, could this have been taken care of in a better way? In my opinion it most certainly could have. Since the craft refused to acknowledge the radio warnings, a shot across the bow. Followed by compliance, or being blown to Allah.

Does that sound cruel? Too bad, it is a war zone. Obey the rules, or pay the price.

(CNN) — An Israeli patrol boat struck a boat carrying medical volunteers and supplies to Gaza early Tuesday as it attempted to intercept the vessel in the Mediterranean Sea, witnesses and Israeli officials said.

The Dignity arrives in Tyre, Lebanon, after it was reportedly rammed by an Israeli military vessel Tuesday.

CNN correspondent Karl Penhaul was aboard the 60-foot pleasure boat Dignity when the contact occurred. When the boat later docked in the Lebanese port city of Tyre, severe damage was visible to the forward port side of the boat, and the front left window and part of the roof had collapsed. It was flying the flag of Gibraltar.

The Dignity was carrying crew and 16 passengers — physicians from Britain, Germany and Cyprus and human rights activists from the Free Gaza Solidarity Movement — who were trying to reach Gaza through an Israeli blockade of the territory.

I beg to differ. These courageous individuals were bringing relief — baby formula, medicines and supplies — and were sailing in international and GAZAN waters. Israel maintains an illegal and inhuman siege on Gaza that means the people there are near-starving and without adequate medicine, food or energy supplies. It doesn’t let people in or not.

Israel claims to have withdrawn from Gaza but continues to control its airspace, water and entries and exists. It has locked in 1.5 million people. Gaza is a jail.

Patrick, you wrote wondering about the Red Cross. Israel is not letting in the International Red Cross or any other org by land (nor any international journalists), so several courageous individuals, including among them conscientious Israelis such as Jeff Halper, have made four voyages to Gaza. They should be lauded for the bravery and humanitarian mission. See freegaza.org

Perhaps you should ask yourself why these doctors and human rights activists are risking their lives while the rest of the world’s “leaders” lets Israel get away with cold-blooded murder, ethnic cleansing and genocide?

So they were attempting to sneak through an acknowledged war zone..? Their goal being to lend indirect support to Hamas? What I am surprised at is that those people were allowed to live.

Cynthia McKinney knows better than to get involved in something like this, and she also knows quite well the risk’s involved. There are people in this world that just have to believe that they are it’s center, and she is one of those.

When the Liberty (ship) set off, Israel’s assault had not yet begun so it wasn’t an “acknowledged war zone”, and even if it were, there is an imperative especially in times of war to allow in humanitarian aid to civilians, which Israel refuses in its inhumane blockade on Gaza, rendering it a concentration camp from a people who should know better.

I have no idea where you are getting your information that these courageous individuals, among them physicians and holocaust survivors, are at all indirectly aiding Hamas. They are bringing relief to just some of Gaza’s 1.5 million people. Hamas were democratically elected as their government; if you want to call them “terrorists” (no one qualifies for that more than the Israeli regime), I call them freedom fighters. Up until a few months ago, Mandela’s African National Congress were still designated by the US State Department as terrorists. Its an empty weasel word wielded to justify atrocities. And Israel’s current assault is nothing less than an outright massacre.

I won’t comment on Cynthia McKinney because I don’t know her. But I wouldn’t presume to think that her motives are selfish or attention-seeking. Yes, it was risky. Any great endeavour is.

Okay; I will address these things.
1: The ship is a first class yacht with up to date communications.
Heck! Even a basic AM radio would have allowed them to be aware that they were sailing into dangerous waters. It is possible that they did not bother to keep up with what was going on in the world. Now, granted, it is pure speculation on my part. But? I just do not see Doctors and former United States Congress members as being that God forsaken stupid!

So much for not knowing that they were heading straight into a war zone. Or, are you calling them outright stupid? Not just ignorant, but stupid..?

2: Any time that any group relieves the stresses of warfare for any belligerent it is aiding the side of that belligerent in that the side that they are aiding no longer has to utilize resources that could be other wise used for combative purposes. That, allows the side that is aided to use whatever resources that are not expended for direct warfare. You are an educator Ann, and this is not algebra.

3: Nelson Mandela ordered the bombing of non-combatants. That, is historical fact. He is no more honorable than a Nazi SS Colonel that ordered the murder of Gypsy’s simply because he disagreed with them on their style of life.

4: Cynthia McKinney is an attention whore, to use an American term. She is also a criminal, in more ways than one. You call that a great endeavor? We will just have to disagree about that.

1. I don’t dispute that they knew it was dangerous waters. They knew full well it was, and I’ve acknowledged they knew the risks, especially from Israeli belligerents who regularly shoot at Gaza fisherman in their own waters. So, sorry, I’m neither calling them ignorant nor stupid. All I’m saying is that when they set sail, Israel’s horrendous airstrikes had not yet begun. In fact, Israel’s attacks made their mission all the more urgent.

These brave individuals on a mercy mission were in international waters heading for Gaza, and through Gaza waters, which they have every right to do and the Gazans every right to accept them. Israel’s propaganda will tell you they (Israel) “withdrew” from Gaza, implying that Gazans have sovereignty and autonomy, but nothing could be further from the truth. Israeli occupation and tight grip on Gazan land, air and sea-space, imprisonment and impoverishment of its population has only gotten worse. Israel wants to destroy Gaza in the service of a greater Israel and preventing a two state solution.

2. I quite like AlGebra, and Weapons of Math Instruction. 😛 Look, I am familiar with the rules of warfare and Israel has broken all of them. First, you have not established at all that the FGM (Free Gaza Movement) were directly aiding Hamas. Second, the Israeli state are the belligerents far more than Hamas, on every measure. In contrast, Hamas stuck to a ceasefire where Israel broke it, regularly committing acts of state terror and inflicting collective punishment on a whole population on the actions of a few who are shooting flimsy rockets. This is a war-crime, of which Israel has committed many.

3. and 4. I agree we will just have to disagree on these as these are subjective differences of opinion ie what you think of these of these personages.

In Mandela’s case, its true he employed violence, its also true he later spurned violence. That’s far more than can be said for “leaders” still at large who should be impeached (Bush) and convicted at the Hague (Bush, Blair). I won’t press you on your unsubstantiated charges of criminality with regard to Cynthia McKinney; she is just one of dozens of people who have put their lives at risk on this mercy mission to aid the Gaza Ghetto. Israel refused access to the International Red Cross in past days and continues its insanity and belligerence.